Persuasive Language and Fact / Opinion

When you argue, you are giving reasons for or against something. You might make an argument in school for a paper or presentation. Or you could make an argument at home when you're talking with friends and family. You're much more likely to make a strong point with your argument if you prepare. You will also make a strong point if you provide a lot of solid evidence to back up, or support, your claim.

Read the following passage.

Bike riding should be banned from public parks. Cyclists may enjoy riding on the trails, but there is not enough room for both bikers and walkers. Bikes also sometimes crash into people walking or playing in the park. Cyclists should be asked to get off their bikes and walk them through the park instead of riding. This way, everyone can enjoy the park.

Which detail from the passage uses evidence to support the claim that bike riding should be banned from public parks?

• “Cyclists may enjoy riding on the trails…”

• “Bikes also sometimes crash into people walking or playing in the park.”

• “Cyclists should be asked to get off their bikes and walk them through the park instead of riding.”

• “This way, everyone can enjoy the park.”

Smiling can be a great strategy to use when presenting an argument in person. In writing, there are other strategies you can use to be persuasive. You can use facts to support your claims. You can anticipate a counterclaim. This means you can imagine what someone may argue against your claim and then write about those concerns.

Read the following passage.

Bike riding should be allowed in public parks. Both cyclists and walkers can easily share the trails as long as they follow the rules of the park. According to the rules, cyclists should stay on the right side of the trails and always let walkers pass first. Some people may argue that cyclists do not always follow the rules. The parks department should make sure that the rules are clearly posted in the parks. This will remind people of how they should share this space.

Which of the following details from the passage anticipates a counterclaim to the argument that bike riding should be allowed in public parks?

• “Bike riding should be allowed in public parks.”

• “According to the rules, cyclists should stay on the right side of the trails and always let walkers pass first.”

• “Some people may argue that cyclists do not always follow the rules.”

• “Both cyclists and walkers can easily share public trails…”

When you are trying to persuade someone, appeal to your listener. Make your argument about the other person and not just about yourself. For example, if you’re selling lemonade, saying, “Buy my lemonade because I’m awesome” is not a strong argument. Instead, give the other person examples of why buying your lemonade will benefit them. “It’s a hot day, and you won’t be thirsty if you drink my lemonade!” is an argument that appeals to the listener.

The following passage is written for teachers. Use it to answer the question below.

School buses should play music in the morning for students. As a teacher, imagine how much more energized, focused and ready to learn your students would be if they were motivated by the music they enjoy. I love listening to music in the morning. Other students would certainly enjoy this, too. It would also give students the chance to relax and reflect before beginning the school day.

Which detail from the passage provides the best example of appealing to an audience?

• “As a teacher, imagine how much more energized, focused and ready to learn your students would be...”

• “I love listening to music in the morning.”

• “School buses should play music in the morning for students.”

• “Other students would certainly enjoy this, too.”

Weak arguments might might be very general instead of being specific. If Elsie had said that the camping trip would be “fun,” she would not have been as convincing. Instead, she is specific about why the trip would be fun for her.

Read the following passage.

I should be allowed to go to the dance because it will be awesome. I’ll get to see my friends and show off my dancing talents. I’ve been practicing a new dance for two months! Going to the dance will help build my social skills, and there will be teachers chaperoning the whole time.

Which detail is the weakest part of the argument?

• “Going to the dance will help build my social skills…”

• “...there will be teachers chaperoning the whole time.”

• “I should be allowed to go to the dance because it will be awesome.”

• “I’ll get to see my friends and show off my dancing talents.”

Don’t take it from us! If you think it’s a true fact, you can verify, or prove it. For example, if a doctor says that you’re four feet tall, you can measure yourself and verify her statement.

When you can’t verify a fact on your own, you can use books, maps, the internet and other sources. If you hear that June has 30 days, a calendar can verify that fact. If your friend tells you that the word “knowledge” starts with the letter K, you can use a dictionary to prove she’s correct.

What would be the best way to verify the statement below?

Austin is the capital city of Texas.

• checking an atlas or map

• drawing a picture

• performing a song

• having a debate

In some types of writing, you need to stick to the facts. For example, in a summary of a text, you don’t want to include your opinions. Focus on facts — statements that are true — about what you read. You should mention the author, the subject and the central ideas and important details. Those are facts about the book.

Everyone who has read the book would know that those statements about it are true. Someone who has not read it could verify the facts in your summary by looking in the book! When summarizing, don’t say that you liked the story or that you thought it was interesting. Those would be your opinions, and they don’t belong in a summary.

Read the following passage.

"The Godmother of Rock” by Greta Hicks tells the story of Sister Rosetta Tharpe. She was an early American singer and guitarist. The article describes the details of Sister Tharpe’s life, but it should have described her music more. Tharpe was born in Arkansas in 1915. Her parents picked cotton and were also musicians. Her mother sang and played the mandolin at church. Sister Rosetta Tharpe learned to sing and play the guitar at four years old and eventually toured the South performing in churches with her mother. As an adult, her music was extremely popular. Her 1944 recording “Down by the Riverside” is included in the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry. The article ends with Tharpe’s death in 1973.

Imagine you’re peer-editing the previous passage. Which sentence would you recommend be revised because it contains an opinion?

• “Tharpe was born in Arkansas in 1915.”

• “Her 1944 recording ‘Down by the Riverside’ is included in the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry.”

• “The article describes the details of Sister Tharpe’s life, but it should have described her music more.” D

• “The article ends with Tharpe’s death in 1973.”

Persuasive writing is meant to convince readers of a particular opinion. How do you make persuasive writing convincing? By supporting your opinions with reasons and facts.

Read the following passage from a persuasive letter to a school principal.

Recess should be longer than 20 minutes. Recess is a fun time of day when students get to play outside. Recess also gives students an opportunity to exercise. This is really important for growing children. Kids who exercise are more likely to keep exercising as adults. In addition, regular physical activity strengthens the heart and lowers the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Right now, recess is only 20 minutes. It should at least 30 minutes each day. We should shorten lunch and dismissal by five minutes to make recess longer. There are several reasons why recess should be longer than it is now.

Which of the following sentences uses a fact to support the opinion that recess should be longer?

• “Recess should be longer than 20 minutes.”

• “This is really important for growing children.”

• “Regular physical activity strengthens the heart and lowers the risk of heart disease and diabetes.”

• "Recess is a fun time of day when students get to play outside."

The fact from the song's lyrics that "school is like our job" supports the opinion that students should get paid to go to school. What other facts could you use to support this opinion? You could research to find factual numbers, or statistics. A statistic is a fact that can be measured.

Read the following passage from a persuasive essay.

Every student should be able to take an art class. In art class, students can learn in new ways. Art gives students the chance to be creative. Being creative is not only fun, but it can also help students on tests. In one study, students who took four years of art classes scored 58 points higher on tests than students who took less than one year of art. That’s a big difference that art helped to make. For all of these reasons, art should be available to all students.

Which of the following sentences uses a statistic to support an opinion?

• “Every student should be able to take an art class.”

• “In art class, students can learn in new ways.”

• “Being creative is not only fun, but it can also help students on tests.”

• “In one study, students who took four years of art classes scored 58 points higher on tests than students who took less than one year of art.”

Not all opinions will have trigger words like “should,” think” or “feel.” But the words “best” and “worst” are often clues that will tell you it’s an opinion. It's usually impossible to verify that something is “the best.” You can only agree or disagree most of the time.

Read the following passage.

The best day of the week is Wednesday. On Wednesdays, I feel confident and happy. Wednesday comes right in the middle of the week, and every Wednesday, I go swimming. I’m usually the fastest swimmer in the pool. This means that I end every Wednesday feeling very proud of myself.

Which detail from the passage contains the author’s opinion?

• “...every Wednesday, I go swimming.”

• “I’m usually the fastest swimmer...”

• “The best day of the week is Wednesday.”

• “Wednesday comes right in the middle of the week.”

While you’re thinking about facts and opinions, watch out for bias, too. When someone favors one side, opinion or belief, this is bias. Sometimes bias is hard to spot. It can "blend in" with facts. Bias can find its way into nonfiction sources, like textbooks and the news.

Read the following passage.

Karate is a martial art. It was first developed in Japan. Today, people practice karate around the world. Karate develops strength and discipline. Many children start to learn karate at the age of five or six. Karate is the best answer to most common health problems. People can manage their injuries and illnesses by practicing this sport.

Which sentence from the passage shows the author’s bias?

• “It was first developed in Japan.”

• “Many children start to learn karate at the age of five or six.”

• “Karate is the best answer to most common health problems.”

• “Today, people practice karate around the world.”